Salty sea air, Emma took a long deep breath. To many women the smell of flowers or fruits were preferable but to Emma there was only the smell of the briny sea. She pushed her long blonde hair from her eyes and promptly turned on her heel to stride across the deck of her ship. As the early morning light filtered through the clouds she surveyed her ship. Sails billowing with a good strong wind taking her closer to her favorite port.
"Captain! How nice t'see ye're lovely face so early in t'morn." Emma turned with a slight nod to her first mate.
"Aye, it's a very fine day, Mr. Cutter." Emma agreed jumping the steps from the bridge and landing solidly on her feet.
"A very fine day t' sail into port and find a good pint of ale at the good kings expense o'course." Cutter grinned, allowing a glimpse at his slightly holey smile. His weather beaten face was kind for a pirate and Emma couldn't help but feel grateful to the man. He was one of the original crew, when Emma was 6 years of age she was separated from her parents and stolen away by a bounty hunter and taken to a pirate to be delivered to an enemy of her parents. However the pirate found the young princess so engaging and bright that he decided to keep her, Captain Tobias Flint. The little girl of 12 years ago was barely recognizable now in the woman standing solidly in the early dawn.
But you could still find remnants of her, in the way that she spoke or carried herself or that her hair was always washed and silky smooth, there was still a trace of princess in the daring pirate. Who after the death of Captain Flint had forged her own name on the old ship. Emma the Black Swan, and Emma had even taken to being called Emma Swan.
But she certainly wasn't the delicate, polite princess she had been 12 years ago to the day, but a pirate with an eye for treasure and a heart for a good exploit.
"You really think this a good idea, Liam?" Killian asked looking at his elder brother with nervousness and confusion.
"I know it's a good idea little brother, the king has called me for an urgent quest that will take time, but in he still wants this troublesome pirate gone." His brother slapped him on the back and gave him a good shake. Killian looked at his older brother, who smiled at him and gave him a wink.
"And you're sure this can't wait for you to return?" Killian twisted the silver hook that replaced his left hand -taken off in a rather unfair fight with a nasty little man with a strange sense of humor-.
"Aye, it can't. The pirate goes by the name "The Black Swan" and sails beneath the modified colors of Captain Tobias Flint. This Black Swan has been attacking the kings treasure ships and stealing countless amounts of resources that could be used in the war. This cannot wait, Killian." Liam grew solemn and gave his brother a look, one that Killian knew well. A call to action, to be the man of honor and principal that his brother wanted him to be. Killian gave a nod and his brother hugged him in a quick embrace, he hugged his brother back before he squared his shoulders and gave a salute.
"Everything will be done in good form." He said, throwing back his head and piercing his brother with ice blue eyes.
"I know it will, I know it will." And with one last ruffle to his brothers ebony hair, Liam was gone. And "The Jewel of the Realm" was left in the hands of its new Captain, Killian Jones.
"Oi! Swan, a pint on the house!" Georgie the owner of the "Siren's Cry Tavern" hollered as he plopped a dirty tankard of ale down in front of Emma, she gave him a smirk before lifting the drink to her lips and pretending to take a sip and passing it to Cutter, who glugged down the biting liquid and roared for more.
She wasn't opposed to shot of rum every once in a while. But Emma was on a mission, she'd heard about a ship leaving the kings port loaded with gold -just itching to be freed from its heavy burden, which she would be more than happy to oblige-. She found who she was looking for sitting in a dingy, poorly lit corner of the tavern; an old man who was always looking for a deal.
"How can I help you, dearie?" he twittered, waving his hand through the air as though he could conjure up whatever it was you were looking for.
"Information."
"Ahhh, of course that's what you're looking for, Princess." He smirked as he clicked his tongue.
"I am not a princess! So stop calling me that." Emma growled, restraining herself from leaning over the dirty table and strangling the bedraggled looking man.
"Tsk, tsk, dearie. That's no way to gather information now, is it?" The man giggled as he rebuked her. His eyes were large, almost bug like and they had the unnerving quality that whenever they looked into her sea green eyes that they could see what was in her soul. She knew it was preposterous but she couldn't help but feel that way.
"I just need information, Rumpelstiltskin." She sighed, tapping her fingers on the grimy table.
"Oh, I know what you want. You want more gold, from the king if you can get it. Well, I do have some information that might interest you. But it'll cost you."
"Big surprise." She muttered, "What will I owe you this time? A piece of my hair, a single drop of blood, my first child?"
The man shook his head in a chiding manner, "No, none of that...just...just a favor. You never know when you may need a pirate. Do we have a deal?" He asked as he held out a scaly hand with dirty brown fingernails, he grinned at her.
Emma thought about it and though it made her stomach more than a little uneasy about owing this man anything she reached out at hand. And shook on it. "We have a deal."
"Good, smart girl. Now, the ship you're looking for is "The Jewel of the Realm."